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Blood drive honors No. 1 Bronco hockey fan Schripsema

by Mark Schwerin

April 6, 2011 | WMU News

Schripsema sleeps with hockey stick from goalie Jerry Kuhn

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University student paper engineering organization Tsai Lun is joining with the entire WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences to stage a blood drive in honor of Gideon Schripsema, whose special connection to the Bronco hockey team has generated headlines.

The blood drive is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 8, in Room C-126 of the College of Engineering's building on WMU's Parkview Campus. Free parking is available in Lot P2 on the east side of the building.

On June 12, 2010, Gideon Schripsema, who attended his first game when he was 2 and whose entire family is made up of Bronco hockey fans, was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 3 years old. Three days later, it was his big brother Brody's fifth birthday and the party would have to take place at the hospital.

The Bronco hockey team showed up at the hospital for the party, forging a special relationship between Gideon and his family and the hockey team. That relationship has spawned numerous news reports, a well-watched YouTube video and even a ride on the Zamboni at Joe Louis Arena for Brody prior to a recent Bronco's playoff game.